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I have been looking into the unsolved homicide of my step-father's daughter in New Castle, PA which occurred in 1975. One of the prime suspects in the murder is currently serving life in prison at SCI Greene for the 1978 double homicide of a young mother and her four year old daughter.

Originally Posted by Richard

Is this case posted anywhere in the forum? What was the date and what is known about the case?

Richard, you might have found this by now, but I think meachchar must have been referring to this:

In early November of 1975, my mother's cousin - 37 year old Beverly A. (Morris) Withers was babysitting 4 year old Melanie Gargasz at the Gargasz house in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania. [snip] When Melanie's mother, Marilyn, returned home in the early afternoon, she found both Beverly and Melanie dead, from multiple gunshot wounds to the head.

I ran across an article written about these murders that had this quote:

Ashton said DNA evidence has linked unknown men to the 1976 strangulation of 21-year-old Susan Rush in Washington County and the 1977 rape and strangulation near Wheeling of Roberta Ann Elam, a 26-year-old postulate nun.

It is interesting that Susan Rush was killed on her way to church. Her family is quoted as saying she was a very devout young woman.

I read that differently. The use of "men" lead me to believe there is one person for each case, not the same person(s) for both cases. I don't think they are saying it is the same killer. IMO. Hopefully DNA will bring about results for all these old cases. I hate to think where we would be without DNA testing.

Breaking news! Two arrested for the murder of Mary Gency

An article in the local edition of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, October 5, 2003, identifies Debbie Capiola's killer as David Robert Kennedy, a man who stalked Capiola and later the female PA state trooper who investigated the case.

LE has pretty well proved that Kennedy was not responsible for the murders of Mary Irene Gency (the 2003 article said there was a suspect in that case) or the Susan Rush murder. I did the research on this last year and haven't seen an update since, but I will look.

The boyfriend is also implicated because a witness places him in the co-accused's car at the time of his girlfriend's disappearance, and because his DNA was also found on Mary's underwear. He apparently had an alibi but this will now be tested. The boyfriend's DNA on girl's underwear wouldn't be unusual except he told investigators he hadn't had sexual contact with her for a month prior to her death - his family now says he was confused.

Interesting

In the original testimony, a witness said that Mary Irene Gency was last seen near a vehicle containing the two guys charged with Murder. One of them was either the current or ex boyfriend of the victim. The Witness also said that George Poskon was in the car. In 1996, Mr. Poskin was convicted of rape in an unrelated case in the same town. I see there is a person with same nale listed as having died.

If he is still alive it sounds like it may be worth talking to him again as there may have been 3 people involved instead of just 2. It is surpising that they kept quiet for 33 years.

Mary Grace Triolo 15
A ninth grader in the Fairless School district, she was found strangled in Bristol PA on February 20 1965.

Karen Monhollen 14
Body found in Lima quarry in Middletown Township. No cause of death.

Delores Dellapenna 17
From Philadelphia PA, Wildwood
Disappeared July 11th 1972 while walking to a trolley stop. Torso found July 22nd in Jackson Township N.J and legs found on July 29th, 1972 in Manchester N.J in wooded area.

Patty Bartlett 17
From Lower Makefield, PA
Stabbed to death on January 13th 1975 at Oxford Valley Mall.

Valerie Seibert 16
From Philadelphia PA
She was discovered on 4 March 1975 lying in a field near Second Street Pike and Swamp Road in Wrightstown by a farmer. Seibert, who was an 11th-grader at George Washington High School in Philadelphia, was missing for two days from her home in on Chilton Road in Northeast Philadelphia. Police also said they believed that Seibert was shot twice on the farm. The case is unsolved.

Susan Rush 21
From Washington PA
Found in the trunk of her car in Washington PA, strangled. She was found on Feb 24th 1976.

Brenda Lee Ritter 18
Left her boyfriends house in Washington PA, her car was found the next day in South Strabane and her body was found the same day in North Strabane strangled, on May 18 1977.

Joan Rasperger 15
From Slickville, West Moreland County
She was found in a wooded area. No cause of death. Nov 1977.

Who is in on trial and who was their victim? I'm interested in the Robin Elam case, but I'm lost with all the other names mentioned. So is it Robin Elam's murderer who is on trial?

They're talking about the murder of Mary Irene Gency. Her killer was convicted in October, 2011 of third-degree murder after a non-jury trial, and was sentenced to 10 to 20 years in prison, the sentencing guidelines in effect at the the time of the crime (1977).

I don't understand why Robin's whole thread was moved to trials, when it's not her case at trial .. but YAY for another killer being brought to Justice.

Sabadish was a real piece of work - major pedo, threatened women with rape.. suspect in little Carol Ann Dougherty's murder and his behaviour there was VERY suss..

There was less 'ritual' aspect to Robin's death than the other murders-in-church-grounds that have happened. Quite different, I think.

One thing I am noticing -- and I might be just linking things a bit wildly here - is that there seem to be a lot of murders around that part of the state involving hills, high ground, stones.. I must go back (over a literal ton of material, sigh) and see what I can find.